Boyd, Snelling tie in thrilling 2024 Magarey Medal count

Two players have tied for the SANFL’s highest honour with one of the winners claiming a feat matched only once in the past 73 years.

Harry Boyd from Norwood and Will Snelling from Sturt after being announced as joint winners of the Magarey Medal at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, Monday, September 9, 2024. Picture: SANFL Image/David Mariuz

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It was the perfect result.

The two players who have dominated the SANFL this season were last night jointly crowned 2024 Magarey Medallists in an emotional count at Adelaide Oval.

Norwood ruckman Harry Boyd and Sturt midfielder Will Snelling tied on 34 votes to share the medal as the SA state league competition’s fairest and most brilliant players.

Boyd, 26, became only the second ruckman to win the SANFL’s highest individual honour in 73 years, while 27-year-old Snelling claimed the medal in his first season with the Double Blues and just two months after the shock death of his dad, Paul.

Boyd, 26, became only the second ruckman to win the SANFL’s highest individual honour. Picture: SANFL Image/David Mariuz

The pair dominated the count from start to finish to become the first duo to share the Magarey Medal since South Adelaide’s Bryce Gibbs and Woodville-West Torrens’ James Tsitas in 2021.

It is the 16th time there have been multiple winners.

Boyd became the first ruckman to win the Magarey since Port Adelaide’s Ryan O’Connor in 2001, when he tied with teammate Tony Brown.

The previous ruckman to win was Norwood’s Team of the Century ruckman John Marriott in 1951.

West Adelaide midfield ball magnet Kobe Ryan finished third in the count, polling 27 votes.

Sturt midfielder Will Snelling also was awarded the top honour. Picture: SANFL Image/David Mariuz

After starting the count as the two hot favourites, it was soon obvious that it was going to be a race in two.

Boyd polled the maximum three votes in the Redlegs’ Round 1 win against the Double Blues while Snelling – a West Adelaide 2015 premiership player who joined Sturt after being delisted by AFL club Essendon in the off-season – picked up his first three against South Adelaide in Round 2.

By Round 7, they were tied on 16 votes.

Snelling opened up an eight-vote lead after Round 12 before missing Rounds 13 and 14 for personal reasons following the death of his dad.

Boyd drew level on 34 votes after Round 18 and then the pair had to sweat out the final round as neither picked up a vote, resulting in a thrilling finish.

Boyd polled in 14 of his 18 games, earning eight first, four second and two third preferences while averaging 21 disposals, 42 hit-outs, 10 clearances and four tackles.

Snelling polled in 13 of his 16 matches, attracting eight first and five second preferences while averaging 29 disposals, seven clearances and 11 tackles.

Boyd became the 13th Redleg to win the medal and first since midfielder Mitch Grigg claimed back-to-back medals in 2017 and 2018.

Snelling is Sturt’s 15th medallist and first since former captain Zane Kirkwood won his second medal in 2016.

While Ryan finished third, 2020 medallist Campbell Combe from North Adelaide was fourth with 23 votes and last year’s winner, Central District’s Harry Grant, and Glenelg’s Matt Allen were next on 20.